CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A strong first half lifted the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to an 11-5 win over the Amherst College women's lacrosse team on a rainy Wednesday evening at Barry Field.

The Engineers, ranked 19th in the nation in the latest IWLCA Division III poll, improved to 5-1 with their third straight win. The 15th-ranked Mammoths fell to 2-3.

The Mammoths are back in action on Saturday (March 23), hosting Bowdoin for a NESCAC clash at noon on Pratt Field at Lehrman Stadium.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Engineers scored the first three goals of the game and never trailed. Senior attack Ellie Rabenold scored MIT's first two goals 39 seconds apart before sophomore attack Nina Petulla struck to give the Engineers a 3-0 lead.

* The Mammoths got on the board late in the first quarter when sophomore attack Sofia Guttmann converted on a free-position opportunity for her fifth goal of the season.

* MIT scored four unanswered goals in the second quarter with a pair of free-position goals from senior midfielder Meredith Arterburn bookending a pair of goals from Petulla.

* Amherst had its best offensive stretch in the third quarter, tallying three goals in 63 seconds. First-year midfielder Mia Raven kicked off the spurt with a free-position goal on an extra-player opportunity, then added another just 17 seconds later. First-year midfielder Emma Crotty followed with her third goal of the season to cut the MIT lead to 8-4.

* Sophomore attack Kate Becker scored her fifth goal of the season for the Mammoths in the fourth quarter but scores for MIT from Rabenold and Petulla accounted for the 11-5 final score.

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Rabenold and Petulla each scored four goals for the Engineers. Arterburn tallied two goals and one assist.

* The Engineers held an 11-9 edge in draw controls with sophomore Gwen Flusche winning five. Junior Elizabeth Rose tallied three draw controls for the Mammoths.

* Raven caused three turnovers for Amherst. Senior defender Faith Bulan led the Engineers with three caused turnovers.

* MIT outshot Amherst by a 26-20 margin and held a 17-11 advantage in shots on goal. Sophomore Molly Dulce made two saves for MIT in the first half to earn the win before first-year Pauline Vien came on for the second half and made four saves. Sophomore Jessye Salmon made six saves for the Mammoths.